Cleveland casino's approaching debut worries problem gamblers

Joshua Gunter, The Plain DealerThe Horseshoe Casino Cleveland is approaching opening day, and some compulsive gamblers are worried about having table games and slot machines close at hand.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ohio's casino gambling era will dawn in a little more than two weeks, and the build-up has pushed some recovering gambling addicts to the brink.

Records for March show that calls to the state's problem-gambling help line expressing concerns about betting on casino slots or table games were triple the average for the previous eight months.

Experts say compulsive gamblers often repent early in the year, after burning through Christmas spending money and income-tax refunds. It's also possible that the Ohio Lottery's annual March campaign to raise awareness of problem gambling fueled the increase.

But psychologist Heather Chapman, head of an inpatient gambling-treatment program for veterans at the Cleveland VA Medical Center, is certain the May 14 debut of the Horseshoe Casino Cleveland has something to do with the spike. Casino gambling is coming to her clients' doorsteps, and they're worried.

"As the date approaches, the anxiety has gone through the roof," she said.

While evidence is nascent, records show that among the calls to the state's hot line last month were 50 calls triggered by concerns about slots and 30 about table games. There could be some overlap because some reported multiple weaknesses.

Chapman, widely known for her work with compulsive gamblers, sees an average of 100 a year at the hospital and in her private practice. She said veterans tend to have more problems with gambling, often because it appeals to a side of them that thrives on thrills and is open to taking risks.

Some of her clients believe a new casino will magically change their luck, or they think treatment has steeled their resolve, allowing them to dabble in games without relapsing, she said.

The Horseshoe, which has prominently promoted the state's gambling line on its billboards, will be the first of four casinos allowed statewide under a constitutional amendment that voters approved in 2009.

In addition, legislators have authorized video slot machines at horseracing tracks, with Scioto Downs in Columbus scheduled to be first out of the gate in June, A lawsuit filed in Franklin County challenges the legality of the decision to allow slots at tracks, and a decision is pending.

Ohio was safe haven for casino-gambling addicts before those changes broke down the doors. In fact, Chapman said some of her clients moved to Ohio because casino gambling was prohibited.

"What I've heard from a lot of people is, 'It's sure going to be handy, It's going to be convenient,' " said Chapman, repeating remarks that the recovering gamblers meant as sarcasm. "Bringing it closer makes it more compelling."

Las Vegas-based Caesars Entertainment is a minority partner in the Horseshoe Cleveland and will manage the casino for Rock Ohio Caesars, a joint venture led by Cavaliers majority owner Dan Gilbert.

Problem gambling is a "dysfunctional consequence of our business," Caesars chief executive Gary Loveman told Cleveland-area business men and women at a dinner last month. He characterized the number of people affected as small but added: "We take this responsibility very seriously."

The Cleveland casino's policies will include refusing to cash public-assistance or unemployment checks and letting gamblers voluntarily put their names on a list that bars them from playing. Caesars also is providing employees with training -- as it did over the weekend -- so they can spot problem gamblers and direct them to help.

According to Chapman, about 7 percent of the U.S. population has a gambling problem, and slightly more than 1 percent are so hooked it's pathological.

Ohio is outmatched in dealing with the illness. Though any counselor can listen to a gambler's troubles, only 10 in the entire state are expressly certified to deal with the addiction, according to the National Council on Problem Gambling.

More counselors are stepping up to fill the void, judging from a two-day seminar that Recovery Resources, a local agency that helps people fight addictions, conducted last week at Trinity Cathedral in Cleveland. More than 40 social workers and other professionals took part in the training, which can lead to the certification.

The constitutional amendment requires that 2 percent of casino revenue go to programs aimed at gambling, alcohol and drug addiction. According to estimates, the amount will reach up to $14 million a year, compared with $335,000 that the Ohio Lottery Commission now provides for help with problem gambling.

"Thc casinos are coming, there's no way we can stop them," Clegg said. "We need to have our doors open for people who need services."

The state Department of Alcohol and Drug Addiction Serviceshas hired Kent State University researchers to determine which segments of the population and which areas of the state suffer most from gambling addiction, information that will help officials direct programming. Results are expected by the end of June.

United Way's First Call for Help operates Ohio's 24-hour problem-gambling help line. The number is 1-800-589-9966.